Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-02-23
ICE THROWN SKYWARD.

The Strange Phenomena Observed Near
a Maine Town.
Strange phenomena are reported
from Blue Hill by persons of unques-
tionable integrity writes an Ellsworth,
(Me.) correspondent OF the Boston
Globe. They declare that nothing of
the kind has ever before happened
within the recollection of the Oldest
inhabitants. On Monday of last week,
as Reuben Gray was crossing Third
Pond, which is large body of water,
something less than two miles across,
his attention was suddenly attracted
by loud rumbling resembling the
sound of distant thunder or the pass
age of heavy team over bridge.
The reverberations seemed to ap-
proach him from the direction of an
old mine which is located near the
southern end of the pond, and about
one mile from the place occupied by
Mr.. Gray at the time. AS the mutter.
ings grew more and more distinct Mr..
Gray paused in wonder, unable to &C.
count for what is now supposed to be
an extraordinary demonstration OF
mysterious forces of nature. While
yet in q quandary as to what course
he should pursue, the ice under him
suddenly rose to the height OF four
feet, as though propelled by some
mighty unseen power beneath. Then
it fell, rose again, and continued It's
undulatCry motion, q sort of tidal
wave, which rolled swiftly along until
the head of the pond was reached,
when suddenly, with g. noise that
awoke the echoes of the old Blue Hills,
there arose from the pond an immense
sheet of ice, which fell some distance
from the opening.
Mr. Gray, whose astonishment had
been imheasurably heightened by
these later occurrences, critically ex-
amined this tremendous block of ice,
and then hurriedly returned home to
report the fact to his neighbor, E. E.
Chase, who was Blue Hills representa-
tive in the Maine Legislature OF 1885,
and who is held in the highest esteem
by the entire community. He imme-
diately repaired to the locality, exam
ined the pond, and found that Reuben
Gr&y's story had not been exagger-
ated in the slightest degree. There
were evidences of severe internal strug-
gle, and the huge ice cake, lying upon
its side testified to its intensity. Mr..
Chase obtained the exact dimensions
of this block, finding it's length to be
seven feet and it's thickness fourteen
inches. 1t weighed about ten tons.
The piece was triangular IN shape and
lay right side up, with the base toward
the base of the opening, the apex
hn
The distance between the two bases
was twenty-nine feet.
One of the most singular circum-
stances connected with this upheaval
is the fact that although the water at
the place where the ice was blown out
was something less than five feet in
depth, mud was found on the bottom
of the cake, proving that the disturb
ance began at the bottom and worked
toward the surface.
Mr.. Chase examined the track of the
disturbance, and found theice cracked
and broken throughout the entire
length.
These strange phenomena have been
the all-absorbing topic of converse
ton to-day among the inhabitants of
the village and the frequenters of the
Blue Hill copper exchange.
Everything is now quiet on thepond,
and there are no indications of a
repetition of these singular occur
rences. Many theories are advanced
as to the cause of the phenomena. By
some it is limited that q shaft of the
Blue Hill copper mine may have IN
dermined the waters Of Third Pond,
and that the vacuum caused by the
sudden rush OF water produced the
detonation and upheaval. Others
claim that they we're caused by frost.
Others suggest earthquake or volcanic
forces.